As oil and gas operators work to reduce costs and increase their overall efficiency, they seek new ways to maintain and improve their production output. In many cases, existing well operations offer a more cost-effective alternative to drilling new wells. Although horizontal shale wells typically produce at significantly reduced rates after a few years, many still contain large quantities of unrecovered oil and gas. Refracturing is one method of drawing out these hidden resources.

During an initial round of hydraulic fracturing, operators use a mixture of water and chemicals to break apart rock before supplementing the fluid with sand, which opens rock fissures and facilitates the flow of oil and gas. Refracturing can allow companies to access resources in areas of rock left untouched by earlier fracking or drilling activities. Although operators have used the technique at vertical wells for over two decades, advancements in both horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing have allowed for more efficient refracturing at horizontal wells.

Experts project that refracturing could revive production at approximately 75,000 wells across the United States. Proponents of the practice note that it can stimulate both natural fissures and bypassed pay intervals, and that it can be especially promising for older unconventional wells where operators used less sand, or “proppant,” and fewer drilling stages. By refracturing with more proppant and a higher perforation cluster density, operators stand a chance of reinvigorating production for a fraction of the cost of drilling a new well. Experts predict that as companies continue to optimize the practice, integrating key data techniques such as microseismic monitoring, refracturing will see increased use in the North American energy sector.

Along with a number of surrounding states, Kansas stands as a prominent oil and natural gas exploration site. Oil and gas drilling in Kansas traces its roots back to 1892, when the Norman No. 1 well came in near Neodesha following just over three weeks of drilling. Considered one of the first significant oil discoveries west of the Mississippi River, the well started out producing only four barrels per day from a depth of 832 feet. Regardless, the well represented one of the first in the region to deliver commercially viable quantities of oil.

The discovery of oil in Kansas captured the imaginations of prospectors and oilmen, prompting considerable investments in locations throughout the state. Twenty-two years after the establishment of Norman No. 1, Kansas began producing more than 4 million barrels of crude oil every year. Since then, the state has continued to rank among the highest oil-producing states in the United States.

Sentry Energy Production

As the U.S. government and its residents attempt to become less dependent on foreign oil and gas, oil and natural gas exploration and development firm Sentry Energy Production LLC seeks out reserves in the most efficient manner.